Prince Charles yesterday promised to reduce the royal impact on the environment through sweeping changes to his personal lifestyle and official schedule. The prince will replace carbon-heavy private jets and helicopters with scheduled flights and train services.
The move came as Prince Charles urged business leaders to publish the environmental pact of their activities.
He said, “Few accountants and business decision-makers ask, ‘How much of our critical natural resource is left? How many miles of polar ice cap has our business helped melt this year? By how many inches have we raised sea levels? How many species have we put at risk? How many homes will be flooded, how many people will die of thirst or starvation because of our activities? ’ These are not comfortable questions, but, by God, they need to be asked. ”
He added, “At the moment these costs do not appear in anyone’s books… Yet they are real, they are incurred now and in a relatively short time, the damage being caused may be beyond remedy. ” He said the world was “running up the biggest global credit card debt in history, but with little or no thought for how the bill will ever be paid”.
Flanked by the prime minister and business and community leaders at St James’ Palace, the prince said his new “accounting for sustainability” project would give consumers the power to choose products that caused less damage to the planet.
Duchy Originals, the prince’s food company, is taking steps to work out how much carbon dioxide and other green-house gases are emitted in growing, processing and distributing its products. The changes to the prince’s travel arrangements announced yesterday are part of a wider review of the carbon footprint associated with activities at all three of his residences. Clarence House in London, Highgrove and Birkhall on the Balmorals estate(庄园), as well as the activities of his 21 personal and 105 full-time staff. Measures include a review of electricity use, commuter and other staff travel and are intended to identify further reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. The review will report in June , when Clarence House will announce annual targets to reduce carbon emission.
1.How does Prince Charles feel about business leaders in terms of environmental protection?
A. Dissatisfied. B. Disappointed.
C. Doubtful. D. Impatient.
2.In response to Prince Charles’ calls, Duchy Originals will ______.
A. make as much green food as possible
B. cut down its cost
C. figure out its greenhouse gas emission
D. continue its greenhouse gas emission
3.The underlined phrase in paragraph 4 probably refers to ______.
A. the great amount of waste produced by industry
B. the great damage caused to the environment
C. the great amount of debts of the royal family
D. the high cost of industry in their producing process
4.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Prince Charles promised Greener Royal Lifestyle
B. Better Late than Never
C. Prince Charles and His Concern for Environment
D. The Royal Family Has a Role to Play in Environment Protection
In Colombia , there are some unwritten rules that people are used to , These rules are not officially established , but people do respect them . For example , on a bus , a person keeps a distance from another person , and people don’t like to touch each other . Many people come to work late because they prefer to wait for another bus if the first one is too crowded . They don’t want to have to stand too close to another person , or maybe they are afraid of starting a conversation .
A friend of mine in Colombia once said his mom got angry because he came home late , so he asked her , “ Mom , what do you think of most people arriving at their jobs so late ? ” That gave her the answer to her question since everyone knows no one wants to get on a bus that is too crowded . His mother realized at that moment that customs have a big influence on a person’s life .
Sometimes , people don’t like to make any kind of conversation or make eye contact with others . For example , when they are in line at a bank , they prefer to look up or down rather than look at other people .
Moreover , people usually look down when they are in an elevator . Not only on a bus , in line at a bank , and in an elevator do people usually avoid talking to other people , but also in the streets when they are walking , they prefer to look down and to avoid contact with others .
1.Why do many people get to work late in Colombia ?
A. They always think the next bus will be better .
B. They don’t want to get on crowded buses .
C. It’s an official rule in Colombia .
D. They get into conversations and miss their buses .
2.From the text we learn that __________ .
A. customs influence people’s lives
B. a mother always understands her son
C. people respect each other in Colombia
D. people like to talk in elevators in Colombia
3.When people in Colombia are in line at banks , they __________ .
A. make eye contact B. look at other people
C. make conversation D. look up or down
4.What would be the best title for the text ?
A. What People Do in Different Situations B. Avoid Getting on a Crowded Bus
C. Special Customs in Colombia D. Obeying Unwritten Rules
On Christmas morning, I went to the Cockhedge Mall. People there were all busy buying their last minute requirements. I needed to buy a birthday card for my son-in-law whose birthday is the 29th of December. Picking up a few more things as well as my cared I went to join the line for the express checkout which was for people who only had a few items in a basket and not a trolley load. This line was next to the Customer Service desk.
Seemingly waiting quite a long time, I was jogged out of my thoughts by a voice behind me making comments on the things I bought.
It was so funny when I realized that she was describing the contents of my basket. The owner of the voice was a very pretty young lady. I said to her that I was going to buy a box of Christmas cookies but the only ones left were not to my liking. The lady told me that just opposite Cockhedge in Superdrug they had lots of cookies. I said, “I’m not going to bother now. I had enough of shops and I’m going home.”
The assistant from the Customer Service came across at this time saying “If there is anyone in the line with a few items in their basket, none of which needed to be weighed, I will check out their groceries at the desk.” Because I had the sprouts which needed to be weighted, the young lady accepted the offer and walked away waving goodbye.
Eventually my turn came at the checkout. I was walking away when I met my new friend once again who handed me a beautiful box of Christmas cookies. With a big hug she said “Hope you have a lovely Christmas.” She had been into Superdrug to buy me the cookies while I was still queuing in Cockhedge.
What a generosity to a stranger! I was so surprised you could have knocked me down with a feather. My Good Samaritan would never know what a joyful Christmas day I had with my family. Telling them this story, as we ate around the table, kept everyone spellbound.
1.The underlined word “spellbound” in the last paragraph probably means .
A．interested B．disappointed C．astonished D．frightened
2.Which of the following could be the best title of the story?
A．A Piece of Lucky Feather B．A Surprise Christmas Gift
C．The Boring Shopping Experience D．The Unforgettable Big Hug
3.How does the writer feel about the pretty young lady?
A．Worried B．Satisfied C．Grateful D．Proud
4.What can we learn from the story?
A．Nobody is sure what will happen the next moment.
B．A simple action can bring other people happiness.
C．Being patient will decrease the waiting time.
D．Life without hope and faith is a full thing.
Tears clouded my eyes as I stood in our washing room, holding Brett’s jeans and full of burn holes.
Tired and defeated, I 36 to the floor. The clothes were just one more thing Brett had 37 . He often got almost everything in the house out of 38 . Many windows in our house needed repair due to his breaking 39 to steal money when he chose to live on the street. Yet none of this could compare to the emotional 40 Brett had done to our once quiet home.
Brett came to live with us when he was 12 years old. During the next few years I had dealt with Brett as 41 as possible, but inside I was shouting. “I don’t want him in my house another day, Lord! I just can’t 42 him!” Having wiped my tears, I continued 43 him as before.
When Brett was nearly 18, he landed again in Juvenile Hall(少管所). After that, my husband and I had to send Brett to a boarding school for helping 44 teens.
At the 45 ceremony, each graduate held a white rose to give to the person who had 46 the most to him or her. Brett spoke 47 to his parents and then spoke to me, “You did so much. You were always there, no matter 48 . My mom and dad, I was their kid. But you, 49 troubled enough by me, always 50 me such love. And I want you to know I love you for it.” 51 , I stood as Brett placed the white rose in my hand and hugged me 52 .
At that moment, tears 53 in my eyes again, this time not for disappointment but for 54 . Although I had struggled with silent 55 toward my stepson, Brett had seen only my actions. Love is action. We may not always have positive feelings about certain people in our lives, but we can love them.
1.A. sat B. sank C. bent D. dropped
2.A. ruined B. lost C. torn D. broken
3.A. danger B. place C. trouble D. order
4. A. off B. in C. up D. away
5.A. pain B. injury C. damage D. harm
6. A. patiently B. willingly C. strictly D. rudely
7.A. forgive B. educate C. stand D. control
8.A. parenting B. pardoning C. comforting D. feeding
9.A. lazy B. troublesome C. disappointing D. careless
10.A. opening B. official C. victory D. graduation
11.A. afforded B. meant C. supplied D. owed
12.A. lovingly B. sadly C. proudly D. nervously
13.A. where B. how C. what D. who
14.A. unless B. although C. because D. when
15.A. cost B. lent C. taught D. showed
16.A. Astonished B. Puzzled C. Encouraged D. Interested
17.A. surely B. roughly C. tightly D. fiercely
18.A. fell B. flowed C. moved D. gathered
19. A. pity B. happiness C. luck D. success
20.A. love B. anxiety C. anger D. care
---Can I get out in the daytime?
--- No. The school rules state that no child ______ be allowed out during the day unless accompanied by an adult.
A. shall B. need C. must D. should
---How did you find the film Transformers 3 (变形金刚3)？
--- ________. I can’t think too highly of it.
A. It makes no sense B. It’s really amazing
C. It’s up to you D. By chance.
